Back in the 1980s, Montana was in a workers’ comp crisis. Claims and settlements skyrocketed higher every year. The insurance payout fund dried up. So the state legislature administered new taxes and surcharges hoping to aid the fund, to the concern of employers and employees.
In 1992, then-governor Stan Stephens appointed a task force made up of Montana’s safety and health consultants and pros to find a way to set safety straight in the state. Since 1993, the new program, called the Montana Safety Culture Act, has encouraged employers to pursue safety as an important part of every workday.